You might have heard of Red Reishi. It was once reserved only for royalty. Known as "The Emperor's Secret", it was once available only to he and his family. Reishi was very precious indeed. Inside it existed the key to health, vitality, longevity, and some even believed immortality. Reishi is miraculously imbued with a power to improve almost anything that ails you...at leat that's what the Emperor believed. Eating it provides a myriad of health promoting benefits. Because Reishi was rare, it was expensive and only a priviledged few had access to it. But not anymore...

What exactly is Reishi?

Reishi is, first and foremost, a food. It is of the fungi class, a mushroom that grow on dead tree stumps and logs. It has amazing properties for health and vitality, properties which scientists are just beginning to uncover. While Reishi has been used in China for centuries, it's rather new to the rest of the world. Due to its tremendous health benefits, use is escalating.

Even though Reishi is becoming popular, many people are still not aware of what it is and what it actually does. Reishi has a long and rich history. So, in part one of this series on Reishi, the other magic mushroom, let's take a closer look at how this miracle food works.

An Overview of Reishi

Reishi is an herb that comes in the form of a mushroom. This mushroom grows in the wild and can be found on tree stumps and logs that are decaying. It's mainly found in the provinces of China that are on the coast. It is the fruiting body of Reishi that is used as an herbal treatment. Reishi come in a variety of colors. However it is the red variety that contains the highest level of health promoting substances. More on that later.

Over the past decade, the secret to cultivating reishi has been cracked. This breakthrough was developed by Japanese researchers. They have pioneered techniques that allow cultivation of high quality Reishi outside of China and, without destroying its fragile natural habitat.

This mean that what was once only available to the priviledged elite, is now readily availabe to you and me.

There are several different types of Reishi that grow in the wild. Each has its characteristic color: black, purple, blue, yellow, white, and red. Make no mistake...they are not all equal in strength and effectiveness. Red is the most effective for health.

History of Reishi

This history of Reishi is indeed a rich and long. This herbal mushroom has been used for more than 2,000 years in China. It's Chinese name is Ling Zhi (ganoderma lucidem) and for many years it was considered to be the elixir of immortality. Not only was Reishi used in China for over two millennia, but it has also been used in Japan for about the same length of time. Members of royalty in both countries consumed this herb, feeling that it would prolong their life and enhance their vitality. If you take a look at some of the Chinese medicinal classics, you'll find Reishi mentioned in such old books as the Compendium of Materia Medica and Herbal Pharmacopoeia.

Why Red Reishi?

While there are several different types of Reishi, Red Reishi is the one that you will most commonly hear about. It is the most commonly used type as well. Why Red Reishi? Well, the main reason is because studies have shown it to be the most useful when it comes to medicinal treatments. Therefore it is the variety scientists have concentrated on cultivating.

Active Constituents that Make Red Reishi Effective

There are various active ingredients or constituents that make Reishi very effective. You'll find that polysaccharaides, sterols, mannitol, coumarin, and even triterpenoids are found within reishi. The primary active ingredients are complex carbs, which includes the triterpeniods, polysaccharides, amino acids, and proteins. Through much research, it has been discovered that the most active ingredient in the Reishi are these polysaccharides, which are water soluble. They higher the amount of these polysaccharides, the more potent the Reishi is thought to be. Also, the triterpenoids, which are usually called Ganoderic acids, are a top active ingredient as well. They make the Reishi bitter.

Why Is Reishi So Special?

One reasons that Reishi is so special is because it is known as a "celestial herb" In the past, only the royalty within China were allowed to consume it. This herb was treated in an almost sacred way in China. Another reason that Reishi is so special is due to the amazing way in which it works. While Reishi has been used for wellness in China for hundred, maybe thousands of years, researchers are just now uncovering the benefits of Reishi. Studies has shown that it improves a variety of health problems. The Chinese use it as a healing herb to treat disorders and improve health.

In part two of this series, we will examine some of the ways Reishi is used and how it benefits your body. Stay tuned...